^0^

I love Lance. He’s so fun to write.

Notes: <> for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics if a pokemon talks

Disclaimer: Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics and Satoshi Tajiri own pokemon. I do not. This fic is kind of based on the manga I don’t own either. Anyways, I do own this non-profit, non-copyright infringing writing under international copyright laws.

Chapter 3

 

            You’re still bleeding! Dragonair scolded as they landed in Violet City.

            < I’m fine. >

            Dragonair frowned as she licked his wounds; they closed over quickly. After all, dragons had natural healing powers of their own…

            They just hid them most of the time.

            Wait a minute…

            < Yes… > Lance agreed, catching her thoughts – it was easy to do – and using his other arm to brush bits of grit of his black catsuit. < I have Dragon’s blood. How else would I be able to transform? It’s not part of the Viridian power. >

            < But your father wasn’t a Clan member? >

            < No. >

            < Strange then… > Well, she didn’t want to pry, so she followed him into the gym. Falkner was easy to beat. He paid well, too, as a gym leader. The winnings kept them supplied with food for a few weeks.

            Then, it was off to Bugsy, and the cycle continued.

            < Shh… > Lance said, holding the two baby Dratinis he had rescued from an oil slick off Olivine’s coast.

            I hurt….

            I do too…

            < I know, it will get better, Miniryuu. > Lance said. The nine-year old sighed inwardly.

            He was angry at the world.

            Why did people insist on messing up something that worked?

            Just then his danger sense kicked in and he quickly teleported away from danger.

 

            “You’re fast.” James said, looking at the kid. Why Giovanni had assigned him to assassinate one lousy kid was a mystery, but…

            The Elder of Blackthorn was paying good money.

            Strange, he didn’t look like a thief, so why was some wrinkled old guy so upset? Oh well…

            Lance’s eyes narrowed at that thought, unexpected slightly but planned for. * So grandfather finally decided to do something about me? Really… I suppose winning all of the Johto badges except for his must be prickling his pride…. *

            “Wheezing, Smokescreen!”

            Smoke drifted over the area.

            Lance quickly sequestered the Dratinis in poke balls. < Hakuryuu, let’s battle him then. >

            Hai!

            James went in for the kill swiftly, plunging his daggers deep into flesh.

            A roar sounded.

            Instantly, a whirlwind kicked up, all the smog flying away. James stared in disbelief, both sai were buried in the dragonair’s soft underbelly.

            “Dragon’s blood unwillingly shed…” Lance said, smiling. “ Activate Chain Destruction!” Eyes gleamed with madness as Dragonair twirled, her long tail sending James into a building.

            Wheezing suddenly Self-Destructed.

            It was with difficulty that James managed to extricate himself.

            To his shock, he found that his remaining two pokemon had fainted inside their poke balls. “What the-.”

            Lance pulled away, Dragonair fully healed again. He frowned at the blood on his hands and shook his head inwardly.

            I’ll make him pay later… it’s not that much his fault…

            But first, to make sure…

 

            “Who told you to kill me?”

            “Some old guy.” James said, not wanting to give out any information about Team Rocket. Weird kid.

            _Really_ strange… was he even a child? He might be a midget.

            Oh, why had he gotten stuck with this assignment?

            “Thank you, that will be enough.” Lance said. In a flash, he and Hakuryuu were gone, leaving a flabbergasted James behind.

            “This is too strange for me…”

 

            “You failed?” Giovanni asked. “May I remind you that that is not an acceptable excuse?”

            “He’s no ordinary kid, Giovanni.”

            “I suspected as much.” Giovanni frowned. * And why would the Elder want to kill a child? *

            Unless…

            He felt threatened. That old man got rid of everything that felt threatening. It was why he had left his wife.

            And now… was it possible?
            “How old do you think he was?”

            “Hmm… well, he looked about ten.”

            Giovanni frowned. * It can’t be… *

            “James, be frank with me. This is very important. Did he heal his pokemon?”

            “… Well, he had blood on his hands but his Dragonair was fine, after I got it bad with the sai.”

            “Shimatta!” Giovanni cursed. “You are dismissed.”

            James slowly backed out, wondering what had gotten the ice boss so riled up.

 

            “My son?”

            That stupid elder sent me to kill my own son?! Why would he-.

No, I must be calm.

Giovanni took a few deep breaths as Beedrill and Persian looked anxious. Boss?

“I’ll be fine.”


            No, it wasn’t completely possible, but… Giovanni sighed. He might as well go see for himself.

            It had been Olivine, right? Then the boy should still be there.

            With that thought, Giovanni quickly set off. If it were his son, and he had been kicked out of the clan, then… the boy could follow his real destiny.

            Team Rocket.

 

End Chapter

Completed 6/20/04